Can You Own a Chimpanzee in North Dakota? Laws, Permits, and Penalties Explained
September 17, 2026
North Dakota is one of the few states where owning a chimpanzee is not outright illegal, but that does not mean you can pick one up at a roadside zoo and drive home with it. The state treats a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) as “nontraditional livestock” subject to licensing, housing inspections, and disease-testing rules rather than as a household pet.
If you are researching whether you can own a chimpanzee in North Dakota, the honest answer involves layers of state licensing, a federal patchwork that could shift at any time, and local ordinances that vary by city and county. This guide walks through each layer so you know exactly what stands between you and legal chimpanzee ownership in the Peace Garden State.
Is It Legal to Own a Chimpanzee in North Dakota
Chimpanzee ownership is legal in North Dakota, but only through a licensing process rather than open acquisition. In the state of North Dakota, there is no specific law that contains an outright ban on ownership of great apes. Instead of a ban, the state regulates possession through its livestock and animal health codes.
Generally, in North Dakota, if a person obtains the correct license, he or she can keep an ape as a pet, an exhibitor, a zoo, or for any other non-prohibited purpose, and the state board of animal health has categorized great apes as nontraditional livestock. That classification matters because it places chimpanzees in the same regulatory bucket as bears, wolves, and big cats rather than treating them like a dog or cat purchased from a breeder.
Key Insight: North Dakota does not ban chimpanzee ownership outright, but it does require a state license, an approved enclosure, and health documentation before you can legally bring one home.
What Federal Law Currently Says About Primate Ownership
Federal law leaves most primate ownership decisions to individual states. While U.S. federal quarantine regulations forbid importing non-human primates as pets, there are no federal laws in the U.S. banning primate ownership or exotic animal ownership in general. That import restriction has been in place for decades: because of the serious health risk, importing nonhuman primates to the U.S. for the pet trade has been banned by federal regulation since 1975.
A bill called the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA) has been introduced repeatedly in Congress to close this gap. The Captive Primate Safety Act prohibits private possession of nonhuman primates and the sale or transportation of nonhuman primates for the wild “pet” trade. The proposal cracks down on the private possession of these animals by prohibiting private ownership and interstate or foreign commerce of nonhuman primates for the pet trade, and this prohibition is narrowly focused on pet primates and exempts zoos, research labs, sanctuaries, and universities.
As of the most recent congressional sessions, the CPSA has not become law, meaning it has no current effect on North Dakota owners. Lawmakers have pointed to precedent from a related bill: signed into law in 2022, Quigley’s Big Cat Public Safety Act banned the private ownership and breeding of big cats including lions, tigers, and pumas. Advocates argue primates deserve similar federal treatment, and separately, wildlife policy has already shifted for captive chimpanzees through the ending of the split listing for chimpanzees in the Endangered Species Act, which extended endangered species protections to captive-bred chimps as well as wild populations. You can compare this evolving federal picture with how North Dakota already protects other species by reviewing the state’s list of endangered animals in North Dakota.
Important Note: Federal rules can change. If the Captive Primate Safety Act eventually passes, it would override state-level allowances like North Dakota’s licensing system for future ownership and interstate transport, though existing owners may be grandfathered depending on the bill’s final language.
North Dakota’s Laws on Owning a Chimpanzee
North Dakota regulates chimpanzees and other primates through its livestock health statutes rather than a dedicated exotic-pet code. Chapter 36 of North Dakota law governs nontraditional livestock, including great apes. Under section 36-01-08, North Dakota law provides that the state board of animal health may require a license for nontraditional livestock in the state.
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture sorts nontraditional livestock into three tiers, and primates land in the strictest one. The table below shows how chimpanzees compare to other regulated species in the state.
| Category | Permit Needed? | Example Species |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | No license required | Hedgehogs, chinchillas, ferrets, pheasants |
| Category 2 | License required | Bats, otters, zebras, small wild cats |
| Category 3 | License required, strictest housing/health rules | Primates, bears, wolves, big cats, venomous reptiles |
Category 1 species like the ones covered in this site’s guide to hedgehog ownership laws in North Dakota can be kept without a license at all. Chimpanzees fall at the opposite end of the spectrum alongside venomous animals in North Dakota, since both categories are grouped together as Category 3 species that the board considers inherently dangerous.
The legal definition of nontraditional livestock is broad. It covers wildlife confined by a cage, fence, or other manmade enclosure that limits its movement, which is why a privately owned chimpanzee counts even if it lives in a converted outbuilding rather than a commercial facility. Lawmakers built specific rules around primates on purpose: the board shall adopt rules governing the keeping of primates in captivity and to implement this section. Those rules are what set the permit and housing standards described in the next section.
Permits and Requirements for Chimpanzee Ownership in North Dakota
Getting licensed to own a chimpanzee in North Dakota is not a same-day process. The state expects the enclosure to exist and pass inspection before you are approved for the animal, not after.
- Build and prepare the facility first. Those wishing to have a non-traditional livestock license must have appropriate facilities completed and inspected before submitting an application.
- Obtain the license before acquiring the animal. A license must be obtained prior to obtaining animals.
- Meet species-specific import health rules. Animals imported from out of state must meet health requirements specific to that species.
- Pass tuberculosis testing. Primates specifically require a negative tuberculosis test before license renewal, and another negative test is required within thirty days of any change in ownership.
- File annual paperwork. License renewals and inventory reports are sent out to current licensees in December of each year and are due by January 31st.
- Keep ongoing records. Any births, deaths, sales, or purchases must be recorded on the form provided by the board.
Some Category 3 owners face an additional layer of paperwork. A Permit to Possess, Propagate, or Domesticate from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department is required for some category 3 species. This same permit type governs several game bird species covered elsewhere on this site, including the rules discussed in the pheasant hunting season in North Dakota guide, so it is worth confirming with Game and Fish whether it applies to your specific situation.
Pro Tip: Contact the North Dakota Board of Animal Health before you build anything. Facility standards are inspected before licensing, so getting written guidance on enclosure size, fencing, and veterinary requirements up front can save you from expensive rebuilds later.
The board retains broad discretion even after paperwork is filed. The board may prohibit ownership of any animal deemed to be a significant threat to human or animal health in North Dakota. That means a completed application is not a guarantee — inspectors can still deny a license if they judge the setup unsafe. For general context on how the state licenses regulated species, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture’s Non-Traditional Livestock program page outlines the licensing categories directly.
Local Laws That May Apply in North Dakota
State licensing is only half the picture. Cities and counties in North Dakota can add their own restrictions on top of state law, and they frequently do for animals that fall outside typical household pets.
North Dakota has very few restrictions on owning exotic pets at the state level. Just because an animal is legal to own in the state does not mean the city allows it — for example, it is legal to have chickens in Mandan, but not in Bismarck. A chimpanzee that clears state licensing could still run into a municipal zoning ordinance, an animal-limit rule, or a nuisance code that a city council adopted independently of state law.
Local layering is common in North Dakota’s animal law generally. Municipalities set their own leash laws in North Dakota, and some cities have adopted breed-specific restrictions covered in this site’s overview of pit bull laws in North Dakota. Disputes over animals wandering onto neighboring property, similar to the scenarios addressed in the guide to a neighbor’s cat in your yard, are typically handled at the city or county level rather than through state statute.
Before investing in facilities or applying for a state license, contact your city clerk’s office, county zoning board, and local animal control to confirm a chimpanzee enclosure would be permitted at your specific address. Rural counties with agricultural zoning tend to have more flexibility than incorporated cities, but requirements vary enough that no blanket statement covers every jurisdiction in the state.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Chimpanzee in North Dakota
Skipping the licensing process carries real legal consequences in North Dakota, not just a warning letter. A person who willfully violates this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. That criminal exposure applies specifically to the primate-keeping rules the state board adopted under Chapter 36.
Beyond criminal charges, the state can act directly against an unlicensed animal. The state veterinarian shall confiscate and dispose of any animal kept in violation of this section. Licensed owners are not immune from enforcement either: the board may revoke any license or deny any license application and may dispose of any nontraditional livestock imported or transported for failing to comply with these rules or with conditions placed on the license at the time of issuance.
Common Mistake: Assuming an informal arrangement, such as buying a chimp from a private breeder without state paperwork, is low-risk because North Dakota has no outright ban. The absence of a ban is not the same as the absence of enforcement — confiscation and misdemeanor charges apply to unlicensed possession regardless of intent.
The stakes go beyond paperwork. High-profile incidents involving pet chimpanzees have shaped both federal proposals and public perception of primate ownership. Senator Blumenthal has cited the 2009 attack on Charla Nash by a chimpanzee named Travis, who was kept as a pet, as the reason he first introduced federal primate legislation. That case is frequently referenced in policy discussions precisely because it illustrates why North Dakota’s housing and health inspection requirements exist in the first place, even where ownership itself remains legal. For a broader look at what happens when a kept animal injures someone, this site’s guide on what happens if a dog bites someone in North Dakota outlines the general liability framework that can apply to owners of dangerous or exotic animals as well.
North Dakota’s approach to wildlife possession follows similar enforcement logic across other regulated species, as seen in the state’s hunting laws in North Dakota and its rules on roadkill possession in North Dakota. In each case, the state distinguishes between animals the public can access freely and those requiring documented, inspected, and licensed possession.
Important Note: This article summarizes publicly available statutes and administrative rules as a general overview and is not legal advice. Requirements can change, and local ordinances vary widely, so confirm current rules with the North Dakota Board of Animal Health and your local government before pursuing chimpanzee ownership.
Owning a chimpanzee in North Dakota is legally possible, but it requires clearing state licensing, passing facility inspections, meeting health-testing requirements, and confirming local zoning allows it — all before you can bring the animal home. Given the federal Captive Primate Safety Act’s uncertain future and the strict, inspection-heavy nature of North Dakota’s Category 3 licensing, prospective owners are better served treating this as a multi-month regulatory process rather than a simple purchase. Reviewing the full text of North Dakota’s primate statute and speaking directly with the state veterinarian’s office remains the safest starting point before making any commitment.